City attorney leaving after 41 years

Published: Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 04:22 PM.

From Commissioner Billy Rader: “He is the last of a certain era and breed from our city. Rowlette Bryant and a group of doctors and investors are the reason that we have Gulf Coast Community Medical Hospital today on 23rd Street. The group of men including my doctor, Tim Smith, had a vision to build a state of the art hospital in our city. Mr. Bryant served as legal counsel to the board of directors that had the foresight and vision to get the federal government permits, grants and special permission awarded to them to move forward with constructing a brand new state of the art hospital. He tells the funny story of going to New York City for part of the due process, and while riding in a taxi cab with the main official paperwork and legal documents in his possession, he accidentally left the official documents and paper work were in the NYC taxi as the men paid their cab fare. Can you imagine in the early 1970s walking down the street in NYC and realizing that you had accidentally left all of the official documents in a cab. He tells the story as an old folklore would tell his grand children. Lo & behold he called from either a pay phone or from the hotel asking the Taxi office to please search for those important documents. He said, 'we've got to find those documents!'

“The good Lord in Heaven was watching out for Rowlette that day because the dispatcher on the phone found the exact taxi and picked up the documents and paper work and arranged for them to be delivered to Mr. Bryant. I'm sure that was a sigh of relief for him. At that point in my life I was in 9th grade and playing high school football and baseball. This was the era when there were no cell phones, no computers to save documents on, and no fax machines. Type writers were the way documents were written officially. Mr. Bryant could write a book on his experiences and how he has witnessed and been a part of the many changes and progression in our city. In the words of our former mayor, Carl Grey, Bryant still tells me to this day, Billy, 'if you don't want to make the news, then don't do it.' I'm a blessed man to have been afforded the opportunity to be able to sit beside him and to learn.”

PANAMA CITY — One constant in 41 years of Panama City’s evolution has been the city attorney.

Now, that era is ending.

Commissioners announced during a January meeting that City Attorney Rowlett Bryant would be stepping down as legal consultant of the city. In the wake of his tenure Bryant’s input and demeanor has left an imprint on the city.

“Having a city is having a community family where people help each other,” Bryant said. “If you don’t have that theme, you don’t have a community; you just have segmented people.”

Several long-time colleagues said his depth and breadth of city knowledge was invaluable.

Former Mayor Gerry Clemonsserved for 24 years alongside Bryant. He was a humble, relaxed and laid back man, according to Clemons.

“I would not have served for 24 years if he hadn’t been there,” Clemons said. “He made my life a whole lot easier.”

“I can say without reservation that Rowlett served our city well and with the utmost integrity,” said John E. Pilcher III, commissioner for 17 years. “To say that he is an honorable man would fall short of describing his devotion and ethical character when it comes to his work and eagerness to help when needed.”

“He quickly made me feel at ease just as if he was my own Uncle Rowlette,” said Commissioner Billy Rader. “I will always be grateful for being able to sit beside him at every single City Commission meeting. A wise old man once told me that the good Lord gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Mr. Bryant is the perfect example of that.”

The beginning

Bryant’s career with the city began on a humble note, which is how he would like it to end.

“I’m not looking for credit,” Bryant said. “I’m not here to be recognized. I was just doing my job.”

In 1971, he was asked to tender his name by a commissioner and between him and one other candidate, Bryant was appointed to the position by a 4-1 vote. No formal paperwork proceeded.

“I never had a contract,” Bryant said. “No, I just became the city attorney.”

At the time the city was in a state of arrested development, according to Bryant.

“We were almost going backwards it seemed like,” Bryant said. “When I became city attorney there was no talk, nor had there been, of eminent domain hearings for the city to pave a way to the future.”

Two main developments turned the city in the direction it is headed today: the creation of the Community Redevelopment Agency and the paving of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The events have “brought together a community that was never thought of 50 years ago,” Bryant said. “With the CRA and the progressive attitude we have, great things are in the store for Panama City.”

The building of MLK Boulevard bridged the adjacent Glenwood community with that of Panama City proper as the CRA created a common goal for all districts of the city.

The CRA was created in April of 1984 and uses Tax Increment Financing to make improvements. The CRA motto is to develop blighted areas, build and repair roads and infrastructure. The agency also gives grants to businesses to establish themselves.

“You have a lot of capital projects on the table, which will make us a community in the true sense,” Bryant said. “One where we don’t have one section fighting against another.”

A daunting opponent

Former Mayor Scott Clemons worked with Bryant in two capacities for about five years. He spoke about Bryant’s legal style.

“There’s a legend about Rowlett,” Scott Clemons said. “He has a very folksy style, which led out of town council to under estimate him. That style masked a brilliant legal mind.”

A fellow lawyer said Bryant was a daunting opponent.

“We have been on the same side of many issues and on the opposite side of many issues over the years and while Rowlett has always been a formidable foe, he has always been a courteous professional and a gracious, good friend,” said Les W. Burke, Bay County attorney of 36 years. “Rowlett has always been the consummate professional, one who always made me proud of my profession ... his record of 41 years of service as city attorney is like Joe DiMaggio's consecutive game hitting record — a record that will never be broken.”

One of the main facets of community life Bryant has supported over the years has been parks. The city has more parks than most others in the area.

“A lot of people cannot afford entertainment and we have got to provide some resource to that element of the community because they are part of it,” Bryant said. “We have been very progressive in supporting outdoor activities and making those facilities available.”

Examples range from boat ramps to Oakland Terrace Park — the government projects that don’t pay for themselves.

“They should be supported and encouraged for the benefit of the community,” Bryant said. “That aspect of the city is where the money is best spent.”

His final day is April 1, and the city is currently in the process of filling the seat.

“It’s taken a long time to get there but with the advent of the CRAs, everything is going to improve for the county, city and public,” Bryant said. “We’re doing what we should do to become a good community.”

From Commissioner Billy Rader: “He is the last of a certain era and breed from our city. Rowlette Bryant and a group of doctors and investors are the reason that we have Gulf Coast Community Medical Hospital today on 23rd Street. The group of men including my doctor, Tim Smith, had a vision to build a state of the art hospital in our city. Mr. Bryant served as legal counsel to the board of directors that had the foresight and vision to get the federal government permits, grants and special permission awarded to them to move forward with constructing a brand new state of the art hospital. He tells the funny story of going to New York City for part of the due process, and while riding in a taxi cab with the main official paperwork and legal documents in his possession, he accidentally left the official documents and paper work were in the NYC taxi as the men paid their cab fare. Can you imagine in the early 1970s walking down the street in NYC and realizing that you had accidentally left all of the official documents in a cab. He tells the story as an old folklore would tell his grand children. Lo & behold he called from either a pay phone or from the hotel asking the Taxi office to please search for those important documents. He said, 'we've got to find those documents!'

“The good Lord in Heaven was watching out for Rowlette that day because the dispatcher on the phone found the exact taxi and picked up the documents and paper work and arranged for them to be delivered to Mr. Bryant. I'm sure that was a sigh of relief for him. At that point in my life I was in 9th grade and playing high school football and baseball. This was the era when there were no cell phones, no computers to save documents on, and no fax machines. Type writers were the way documents were written officially. Mr. Bryant could write a book on his experiences and how he has witnessed and been a part of the many changes and progression in our city. In the words of our former mayor, Carl Grey, Bryant still tells me to this day, Billy, 'if you don't want to make the news, then don't do it.' I'm a blessed man to have been afforded the opportunity to be able to sit beside him and to learn.”

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